Representing the 2nd District of Connecticut

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Courtney statement on two-year budget agreement

October 28, 2015

Press Release

WASHINGTON—Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-2) released the following statement on the budget agreement for 2016 and 2017, passed in the House today by a vote of 266 to 167:

"Since the seventeen-day government shutdown in 2013 orchestrated by House Republicans, our nation has lurched from crisis to crisis, averting disaster through short term patches and eleventh-hour gimmicks. The lack of certainty in the budgeting process, the looming threat of sequestration, and the threat of default on the full faith and credit of our treasury bonds, have needlessly hamstrung our nation's economic recovery and hindered our military and key government agencies from performing their missions."

"Today’s passage of a two-year plan makes significant headway in rolling back sequestration—a critical priority that I have been calling for since enactment of the Budget Control Act; indeed, that was precisely the intent of the BCA. This agreement shares sequester relief between defense and domestic spending, in a fiscally responsible manner. The agreement before us today also will sharply reduce a hike in premiums and deductibles for Medicare Part B for millions of seniors, and keep Social Security Disability Insurance solvent into the future. It will ensure that we do not face another showdown over the debt limit for two years. Crucially, the agreement will finally provide some long-term stability for our government and our economy."